DEP and DOT Announce Vendor Selection for Florida Turnpike Truck Stop Electrification Grant Project

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) announce selection of the vendor, JR Enterprises South, LLC (JR Enterprises), for the construction, operation and maintenance for a Truck Stop Electrification (TSE) project at the Okahumpka and Canoe Creek service plazas on Florida’s Turnpike. In February 2010, Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) was awarded a $480,000 grant from the State Clean Diesel Grant program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through an agreement with DEP for the project.

“The goal of this stimulus project is to reduce wasting of diesel fuel, reduce the related emissions and noise pollution, and create jobs and promote economic recovery,” said DEP Air Resources Management Division Director Joseph Kahn. “We are pleased to be working with the Florida Department of Transportation to improve air quality, protect public health and save natural resources.”

Currently, long-haul truck drivers idle their trucks to heat or cool their cab and to power on-board appliances during rest periods. Engine idling promotes unhealthy environmental conditions, wastes fuel, reduces engine life, and requires more frequent engine maintenance. The TSE project will allow drivers to shut off their engines and connect to an in-cab service module with an external unit that heats and powers the interior of the truck, and lets the driver watch TV and check email without running the main drive engine. The TSE project will save about a gallon of diesel per hour per truck.

JR Enterprises will provide equipment maintenance and utilization reporting through a contractual agreement with FTE’s Service Plaza concessionaire Areas USA FLTP, LLC (Areas) for a period of ten years. JR Enterprises will operate 20 TSE units each at the Okahumpka – Milepost 299 and Canoe Creek – Milepost 229 service plazas under a lease agreement with Areas. The TSE construction is scheduled for completion by August 31, 2010.

“The Truck Stop Electrification project is part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s long term commitment to create a cleaner and more fuel efficient transportation roadway on the Turnpike’s mainline, making it a green corridor. Using these facilities, truck drivers will rest better and have a safe and convenient alternative to idling in parking lots or road shoulders,” said Jim Ely, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise.

As part of the National Clean Diesel Campaign, DEP receives a share of the funds from EPA’s State Clean Diesel Grant Program. This grant is used to fund programs to reduce diesel emissions from school buses, heavy duty diesel trucks and construction equipment, converting diesel engine power to electric motor power and promoting the use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel, etc. For more information on the State Clean Diesel Grant program, visit http://www.epa.gov/diesel/prgstate.htm.

For more information on Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, visit http://www.floridasturnpike.com/.